1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a search for an apparatus that is connected to a network, and the display of the search results.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, so-called directory services have been provided as methods for efficiently locating and utilizing various resources, such as printers, servers, terminals and scanners, that are connected to a network.
A directory service, which is used for the storage of a variety of data, is much like a telephone book, but a telephone book that is intended for use with a network. A specific example of a directory system that employs a directory service is the LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol). The operating instructions for the LDAP are written in the RFC (Request For Comments) 1777, a standard set of specifications issued by the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force).
When a directory service is employed to search for a terminal device connected to a network, for example, a list of addresses can be obtained for those terminal devices on the network that are available for use.
However, conventionally, it is not possible to perform a hierarchial location information search for a terminal device that is to be used. Further, the results provided by a search based on hierarchial location information can not be displayed so that they can be easily understood by a user. For a network printer, an example terminal device, the progress of a search initiated by a question, such as “Where is the nearest printer on the current floor?” or “Where is a color image printer located in a pertinent building?”, can not be displayed for easy viewing on a client terminal.